Chen Hao tries on a shirt that is too small, asks for a bigger one, and settles for blue since there is no white.
Chen Hao
这件衬衫我可以试试吗？
Zhè jiàn chènshān wǒ kěyǐ shìshi ma ?
May I try this shirt on?
The shop assistant
可以。您穿多大号？
Kěyǐ. Nín chuān duō dà hào ?
Of course. What size do you take?
Chen Hao
我平时穿中号。
Wǒ píngshí chuān zhōng hào.
I usually wear a medium.
The shop assistant
试衣间在那边。
Shìyījiān zài nàbian.
The fitting room is over there.
Chen Hao
这个有点儿小，有大一号的吗？
Zhè gè yǒudiǎnr xiǎo, yǒu dà yī hào de ma ?
This one is a bit small, do you have the next size up?
The shop assistant
有，这是大号的。
Yǒu, zhè shì dà hào de.
We do, here is the large.
Chen Hao
这个正好。还有白的吗？
Zhè gè zhènghǎo. Hái yǒu bái de ma ?
This one fits perfectly. Do you have it in white?
The shop assistant
白的没有大号了，只有蓝的。
Bái de méi yǒu dà hào le, zhǐ yǒu lán de.
There is no white left in large, only blue.
Chen Hao
那就要蓝的吧。可以换吗？
Nà jiù yào lán de ba. Kěyǐ huàn ma ?
Then I will take the blue. Can it be exchanged?
The shop assistant
一个星期以内可以换。
Yī gè xīngqī yǐnèi kěyǐ huàn.
It can be exchanged within a week.
Doubling the verb makes the action brief and light: 试试 to have a try, 看看 to take a look, 想想 to think for a moment. The second syllable is unstressed. For a two-syllable verb you double the whole thing: 休息休息. The same effect is had with 一下: 试一下 equals 试试.
大号, 中号, 小号 are large, medium and small. The next size up is asked for with 大一号的, the next down with 小一号的: the number slips in between the adjective and 号. European figures are used as well, and trouser sizes are often given in centimetres.
The same character carries two readings and two unrelated uses. Read *zhǐ*, it means "only" and goes before the verb: 只有蓝的, there is only blue. Read *zhī*, it is the measure word for animals and for one of a pair: 一只猫, 一只手. The context keeps them apart easily enough.
